Post navigation

San Diego Attracts Thousands for the Annual LGBT Festival

With a rally, parade, block party, and music festival, the 2014 San Diego LGBT Festival promises to top all previous years’ gatherings. The festivities run throughout the weekend of July 18-20 with events occurring in and around Hillcrest and Balboa Park.

Rally

The 2014 Festival begins with a rally on July 18 at 6 p.m. at the corner of Normal and University Avenues. The rally is held to remember the moment in 1969 when guests of the Stonewall Inn in New York spoke out again police harassment. Since then, rallies have been held all over the country in remembrance of this event. The 2014 Spirit of Stonewall Rally marks the 40th anniversary of the first rally in San Diego and reminds the community of the work that still needs to be done for acceptance and understanding. At the rally, keynote speaker Laverne Cox will discuss the theme “Reflections of Pride.”

Block Party

After the rally is completed, the third annual Pride of Hillcrest Block Party will start. Get ready to dance from 7-11 p.m! This event is for guests 21 and older, and you must purchase a ticket to enter. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online.

Parade

On July 19, 2014, more than 300,000 spectators are expected to view one of the nation’s largest gay pride parades. The 2014 San Diego Gay Pride Parade will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the corner of University Avenue and Normal Street. The parade will continue west on University Avenue, turn south onto 6th Avenue, turn left onto Balboa Drive and end on Laurel Street.

Music Festival

Just after the parade finishes, you can head over to Balboa Park for the music festival. Performers will be on multiple stages from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. There’s sure to be something to appeal to every taste with performances from a wide variety of artists including Charice, the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, DJ Trevi, and the Teagan Taylor Band.

A weekend pass is $20, and kids 15 and under are free.

Reserve your Hotel Room near the LGBT Festival Today!

With thousands of people expected to be swarming San Diego from out of town, we’re sure cheap San Diego hotels won’t be vacant for long. If you’re interested in attending the annual San Diego LGBT Festival, or are just looking to enjoy a Southern California vacation, be sure to reserve your room at Pacific Inn & Suites.

The Pacific Inn near Downtown San Diego is located just minutes from the Gaslamp Quarter, the San Diego Bay, Little Italy and Balboa Park. To make sure your hotel stay is schedules, call 1-800-571-2933 and don’t forget to ask about our available discounts and vacation packages!